The last WBBL All-Star 5 of January is led by the MVP of the WBBL Cup Final, after London Lions won the season’s first silverware in front of a record crowd for a women’s basketball game in Britain; and she features alongside four of the top five in the appearances chart after Sheffield Hatters and Leicester Riders also picked up league wins.

Azania Stewart – London Lions
London Lions beat Newcastle Eagles in the WBBL Cup Final in front of over 6,000 fans at Utilita Arena Birmingham, live on Sky Sports, leading to London 2012 Olympian Azania Stewart making her first appearance of the season in the weekly team as she was awarded MVP. She shot a perfect 9-9 from the floor and 2-2 at the free-throw line on her way to a game-high 20 points, also grabbing six rebounds with two steals and two blocks, as well as proving a defensive rock throughout. She scored six points in the opening 15-3 run as Lions asserted their dominance early and never trailed.

Georgia Gayle – Sheffield Hatters
Great Britain international guard Georgia Gayle is joint-second among all players in All-Star 5 appearances, with this being her fifth as Sheffield Hatters improved to 11-1 close to the top of the WBBL Championship, with a home win over Cardiff Met Archers. She scored 26 points in just 25 minutes, proving a handful for the visitors as she went a perfect 12-12 from the free-throw line, adding eight rebounds and two assists. Astonishingly, she scored 20 points in a little over five minutes in the fourth quarter to settle an otherwise close game, as Hatters won the final period 32-14.

Oceana Hamilton – Leicester Riders
Gaining weekly honours for the sixth time, Leicester’s Canadian centre Oceana Hamilton is joint-top in All-Star 5 appearances this season, with the league’s leader in blocks and second-leading rebounder putting up an eighth double-double as Riders won on the road at Caledonia Pride. She finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds, along with five blocked shots, two steals and two assists, including two quick baskets early in the fourth as Leicester came from behind with an amazing 25-6 final period, as she then had two blocks and a steal late on to help keep them ahead.

Helen Naylor – Sheffield Hatters
Joint-second in overall appearances with her teammate, Helen Naylor is in the weekly team for the fifth time and the fourth in the last six weeks as she continues a dominant run of form. She did it all in the win over Cardiff, with 17 points, including 6-9 (66%) interior shooting, along with six rebounds, five steals, and three assists. Hatters broke open a tight game in the second stanza as Naylor scored nine points in a 17-5 push that took them from behind to being up by double-figures at the break.

Jo Leedham-Warner – London Lions
Another Olympian in the London Lions’ ranks, Jo Leedham-Warner was the only player with a double-double in the WBBL Cup Final, as she joins Hamilton on six All-Star 5 appearances at the top of the charts, showing for the fifth time in the last eight weeks. She finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds, also adding five assists and three steals in the Cup Final, providing a consistent presence for her team throughout without necessarily needing to score the ball, although she hit the momentum-providing early three-pointer that sparked 11 unanswered points and put Lions up by double-figures for good.

Off the bench: Laken James (Caledonia Pride), Isabel Bunyan (Cardiff Met Archers), Sian Phillips (Caledonia Pride), Shannon Hatch (Cardiff Met Archers), Alison Lewis (Leicester Riders), Maddy McVicar (Newcastle Eagles), Jessica Eadsforth-Yates (Newcastle Eagles).